{{short description|American singer}}
{{Infobox musical artist | honorific_prefix = | name = Lisa Kekaula | image = The BellRays. Lisa Kekaula. 2013.jpg | image_upright = | image_size = | landscape = | alt = | caption = Kekaula in 2013 | background = solo_singer | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|07|31}} | birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | origin = | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date first) --> | death_place = | genre = garage rock, soul, punk rock | occupation = Singer | instrument = | years_active = 1990–present | label = | associated_acts = The Bellrays, Lisa & the Lips, the MC5, Basement Jaxx, The Crystal Method, The Bloody Beetroots, The Legendary Tigerman, James Williamson | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} or {{Official URL}} --> | module = | module2 = | module3 = }} '''Lisa Kekaula''' (born July 31, 1967) is the lead singer of American "rock 'n' soul" band The Bellrays.<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p380250/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: The BellRays|last=Loftus|first=Johnny|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=23 May 2010}}</ref>
==Early years== Kekaula was born to an African-American mother, Linda and Native Hawaiian father, Alan Kekaula in Los Angeles, California, although the family continued to grow and relocated to suburban Moreno Valley, California. While there, Kekaula began to immerse herself in singing and had her first appearance in a talent show at Edgemont Elementary School. She graduated from Moreno Valley High School and then from the University of California, Riverside.
==Career== Since 1990, Kekaula has been vocalist with the Bellrays.
From 2003 to 2007, Kekaula joined a cast of vocalists guesting at live performances by the surviving members of the MC5.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/still-kicking-out-the-jams-484360.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/still-kicking-out-the-jams-484360.html |archive-date=2022-06-14 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Still kicking out the jams|date=2005-02-23|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-06-11}}</ref>
Kekaula has featured on two singles by British house music band Basement Jaxx, most famously "Good Luck"; the tracks "Realizer" and "High and Low", from the 2004 album ''Legion of Boom'' by The Crystal Method; and "Talkin' in My Sleep", from The Bloody Beetroots' first studio album, ''Romborama''. She has also been featured on The Legendary Tigerman's fifth studio album, ''Femina'', released in 2009.
In 2014, Kekaula contributed vocals to two tracks for the ''Re-Licked'' album of Iggy and the Stooges songs re-recorded by former Stooges guitarist James Williamson. The songs were also released as a 7" single.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/21056-ear-to-the-ground-james-williamson-and-lisa-kekaulas-i-gotta-right|title=Ear to the Ground: James Williamson and Lisa Kekaula's "I Gotta Right"|date=June 27, 2014|first=Eric|last=Shea|website=www.premierguitar.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-11}}</ref> In 2016, Kekaula and Williamson collaborated again, releasing a single in aid of a Hawaiian homeless charity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hpr2.org/post/helping-hand-stooges-james-williamson-benefit-single-project-hawaii|title=Helping Hand - Stooges' James Williamson benefit single for Project Hawaii|last=Lawrence|first=Dave|website=www.hpr2.org|language=en|access-date=2019-06-11}}</ref>
==Personal life== Kekaula is married to Robert Vennum, also of the Bellrays; they have one daughter, Twylla. In 2014, Kekaula and Vennum released an album under the name Lisa and the Lips.
Kekaula was raised Catholic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Glen's Rockmaggedon- Interview with Lisa Kekaula (The Bellrays) |url=https://vinylwriters.com/glens-rockmaggedon-interview-with-lisa-kekaula-the-bellrays/ |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=Vinyl Writers |date=23 July 2020 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://magazine.100percentrock.com/interviews/201401/39113 2013 interview] *[http://themusic.com.au/interviews/all/2015/07/28/the-bellrays-lisa-kekaula-steve-bell/ 2015 interview]
{{Basement Jaxx}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kekaula, Lisa}} Category:Living people Category:Singers from Los Angeles Category:20th-century African-American women singers Category:20th-century American women singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:American women rock singers Category:African-American rock musicians Category:Native Hawaiian people Category:University of California, Riverside, alumni Category:1967 births Category:21st-century African-American women singers Category:21st-century American women singers Category:African-American Catholics